It's the holiday season, and once again we have fun gifts for the gamer in your life, ranging from the practical to the fashionable to the utterly ridiculous but über cool. Since times are tight this year, we have gifts under $20 dominate our list this
year. Enjoy the list, and happy holidays from the Ten Ton Hammer team!
Stocking Stuffers - Under $20
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Jinx.com T-Shirts - WoW gamers especially love the ever-growing lineup of snark-tastic T's from Jinx, though EVE Online and Aion has lately gotten into the act. $9.99 and up, gift certificates available. |
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USB FlexLight - Gamers thrive in a dimly lit space where the monitor can alone work it's dancing mystical light show magic on us, but occasionally we do need light. Light to find a headset plug, light to read a printed guide, but never ever light to see the keyboard. However, if you've ever wondered what those USB jacks on the back of the keyboard are for, here's your answer. $9.99 |
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Tactical Canned Bacon , Bacon Salt & Baconnaise - Bacon is gamer's ambrosia, simultaneously satisfying hunger for long periods of time and providing the proper blend of nutrients to... naw, who are we kidding, it just tastes really good and requires next to no preparation. The fifty odd slices Tactical Bacon requires zero preparation, in fact, and has a ten year shelf life, which means it's a practical bit of desk ornamentation that keeps on giving. Bacon Salt was made famous by WAR's Josh Drescher in a Ten Ton Hammer interview, and we can't say much more about it except that it's kosher and low sodium. Go figure. $4.99 - $15.99 |
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USBCell - We all love the idea of rechargable batteries to power our portable gaming devices and controllers, but it's a hassle to bring along cords and bulky chargers. USBCell batteries feature a built-in USB plug for fast charging from a computer, console, or airplane outlet, complete with a stay-attached tether for the cap. $19.99 for 2 AAs. |
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Shower Shock - Caffeinated soap probably sounds like a gimmick, but for the groggy late-night gamer this soap seriously dials in some zest, perhaps even putting an irish spring in your step and leaving you feeling light as a dove. I'll stop now. $6.99 / bar |
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Miracle Berry Fruit Tablets - Help your gamer overcome his or her stereotypical social awkwardness with these taste bud altering tablets made from miracle fruit (yep, that's its real name), which makes everything taste sweet. Popular in Japan for diabetics and dieters, it's the perfect way to create an instant "food tripping" party. A sip of lemon juice tastes like lemonade, radishes taste like apples, Guiness tastes like a chocolate shake. $14.99 . |
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Wi-Fi Detector Shirt - Gamers have an almost religious regard for black T-shirts. If you don't believe me, wear a bright shirt to a games conventions and you'll feel like Dante and Virgil among the infernal shades. To honor their creed yet stand out and be uniquely functional, your gamer will need something like the Wi-Fi detector T-shirt. It's washable with a removable battery pack. Think Geek has several fun and interactive T-shirts (a guitar, a set of drums, and a Zelda-inspired five hearts T among them) but this one is on sale. $19.99, S - XXL. |
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Game of Life DIY Kit - Mathematician John Conway (not Milton Bradley) invented Life, a predecessor to The Sims, in the early 1970s. It's less a handheld game than a "cellular automator" that you set up and let go according to Conway's population rules, but with the 4x4 grid, you can create some fun still lifes and oscillating forms. Best of all, your gamer gets to put it together, learning electronics and a little game theory at the same time. Combine with other kits to expand the game board. Soldering and attention to detail required. $19.99 |
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Gift Cards - $10 and up. Yea, it's easily the most boring gift on this list, but is a healthy gifting alternative from socks and underwear. Gift cards are perfect for last minute or long-distance gifts, since retailers like Amazon.com offer codes that can be emailed for instant use. Some ideas that are sure to please include Direct2Drive and Steam gifting, Microsoft points (useful for Xbox owners and Zune users, but note that you can't gift these online directly anymore), iTunes gift cards, or Playstation Network gift cards (and game cards that allow downloads). If you know your gamer's brand or want him or her in on your game, offer time and game cards for World of Warcraft, SOE time cards, NCSoft time cards, or the hit up a number of free-to-play MMO cards with the ONE card. |
If your budget allows you to spend a little more, we have some fun and interesting suggestions for the $20-$50 range on the next page. Have a look!
$20-$50
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Zagg InvisibileSHIELDs & Skins - Offering the protective coating found on military helicopter blades, Zagg offers excellent screen and device protection and grip for a variety of phone, iPod, gaming, and even laptop devices. Let your gamer class up the back of his devices with new ZaggSkins, and he or she can forget about scratches and slips. Full protection with InvisibleSHIELD for $24.99 / Zagg Skins with full protection for $29.98, iPhone 3GS. |
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StealthSwitch - Most would have you think that the foot-clicking StealthSwitch is meant to quickly switch out of your illicit viewing activities in the sudden event of an authority figure, but maybe just maybe the gamer in your life wishes to obscure his EVE Online market domination tactics (or Peggle habit) from prying roommate eyes. $24.99 on clearance, so move fast. |
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Screaming Meanie 110 Alarm Timer - Because Belkin hasn't come up with an iPhone speaker attachment that equals the output of two smoke alarms, we humbly submit the Screaming Meanie. It's ideal for your late night gaming friend who tends to oversleep or just needs a highly effective spawn timer. Truckers favor this beast for its ability to keep them awake on long hauls and durability to withstand a pitch across the rig. $27.88 |
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GEN-X Genesis / NES Game System - Gamers are nostalgic creatures, and the consoles of gaming past hold a special place in our hearts. Sure you can download an emulator and ROMs, but your gamer would much rather dust off the old NES and Genesis cartridges in the attic and relive the Christmas mornings of yore. $39.99 |
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Pertelian External LCD Display - The Logitech G15 and G19 keyboards are highly prized for the small, built-in LCD screen that allows you to IM, check email and voip status, plus much more without alt-tabbing out of your fullscreen game. But should your gamer's desk layout not favor the G15's bulk, or if they'd rather have something closer to eye level, you can have much the same functionality with a larger display for almost half the price. $49.99 |
On the final page, we get a little more extravagant... okay, a lot more extravagant. View our suggestions for $50 to well into the thousands. We can dream, right?
$50 to just for fun
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Custom Bobbleheads - Starting from $75 at WhoopassEnterprises.com, you too can have a creepily jiggling Brad McQuaid, Cliffy B, Paul Barnett, or Richard Garriott. For some fun email banter about humanoid requirements, submit a screenshot of your gamer's favorite avatar. |
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Gunnar Optiks - I reviewed these specialized specs (available with or without prescription lenses) designed for computer viewing comfort in early October (link), and I'm regularly wear my Marleys not just to reduce eye strain and dryness during marathon sessions at the computer, but for eye desiccating tasks like airplane trips and while jogging in cold weather. If nothing else, your gamer will feel more fashionable and less like a bad stereotype in front of the computer. Starts at $79, free holiday shipping at gunnars.com. |
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10,000 Star Projector - Everyone says the gamer in your life needs to get out more. Let's be realistic, the day star is a pervasive threat, and winter nights aren't all that hospitable, especially in the north. So why not bring one of the best parts of the outside inside? Accurately constitutes the entire visible band of the Milky Way from the nothern hemisphere and quietly rotates, for the true astro-geek. Thanks to Premium Member contest winner Sabaticus for the idea! $124 from Amazon.com. |
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Sennheiser PC 350 Gaming Headset - Everyone I know that's experienced this headset claims it's the best gaming headset, bar none. Comfy circumaural (around, not on, the ears) design, premium sound quality, and two mini plugs will free your gamer from the dirty sound that occasionally plagues USB headsets. Though few games offer 7.1 audio, you can add directionality at a slight cost to audio quality with a Logitech G35 for about the same price. $130 |
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iGala Wi-Fi Linux Based Touchscreen Photo Frame - You have to be clever about reminding gamers of their not-so-mandatory filial responsibilities. While LCD photoframes are sooo 2007, adding a Linux OS, touchscreen operation, and live media streaming over Wi-Fi introduces enough geek mojo to make the flickering desktop tschotchke interesting beyond the occasional glance. $239.99 |
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One Year Supply of Freeze Dried Food - Hot water is the one thing all gamers can prepare (auto shut-off electric kettles ftw), and hot water is all you need for tasty, surprisingly healthy freeze-dried foods. Help the gamer in your life avoid the microwavable burrito, refrigerator toxicity, and as a bonus: be totally prepared to hole up in case of zombiepocalypse. Standard Meat Eaters Variety Pack @ $825.60 + Mixed Veggies @ $381.48 = $1,207.08, with a shelf life of 30 years. In case you were wondering, you can buy Ramen Noodles by the case (24 units) at Betty Mills for $7.02 . |
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Optimus Maximus Keyboard - With 113 miniature OLEDs beneath the translucent keys, you can actually play videos inside the keys or (even more freakily) use them all in tandem to display a photo image. More functionally, load up icons, text, and animated GIFs to describe which keys launch or manipulate apps and run macros. We're pretty sure Data watched 24th century YouTube at his bridge station with one of these beauts, but this is one keyboard you'll won't be lifting the Pepsi One over at $1,599.99 (ThinkGeek). |
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NEC CRV43 Curved Ultra Wide Monitor - A 42.8" single-DVi-D input that natively supports a 2880x900 resolution and entirely eliminates screen-gap and bezel issues. What does this mean? Your gamer's rig automatically wins any e-peen contest with one of these beasts. Say hello to peripheral vision and gaming nirvana, but at a hefty $8k price tag. |
From the nifty to the extravagent, those are our suggestions for this year, but maybe you have your own. Share them in the Ten Ton Hammer forums and have a wonderful holiday season.
